EC's New Water Quality Standards Move Forward

June 18, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS

The measure aims to better protect Europe's rivers, lakes and coasts against water pollution from a range of chemical substances.

It will repeal the following five existing directives and at the same time simplify water-related reporting within the newly created Water Information System for Europe (WISE):

• Directive 82/176/EEC on limit values and quality objectives for mercury discharges from the chlor-alkali electrolysis industry.
• Directive 83/513/EEC on limit values and quality objectives for cadmium discharges.
• Directive 84/156/EEC on limit values and quality objectives for mercury discharges by sectors other than the chlor-alkali electrolysis industry.
• Directive 84/491/EEC 84/491/EEC on limit values and quality objectives for discharges of hexachlorocyclohexane.
• Directive 86/280/EEC on limit values and quality objectives for discharges of certain dangerous substances included in list 1 of the annex to Directive 76/464/EEC.

The directive on environmental quality standards for water is the final major piece of legislation needed to support the Water Framework Directive (directive 2000/60/EC), which is the cornerstone of water protection policy in the European Union (EU).

The Water Framework Directive requires that all EU waters should achieve "good status" by 2015. It establishes a new regime for the prevention and control of chemical pollution of water.

The new directive will implement this for surface waters by setting harmonized quality standards for a list of priority substances currently numbering 33.

These standards will give a high level of protection to the environment and human health by translating the concept of good status into transparent numerical values based on best available science and knowledge.

While maintaining the ambitious protection level proposed by the EC, the European Parliament modified key points, in particular by:

• Requiring a revision of the list of priority substances and corresponding environmental quality standards, to be proposed within two years of the directive entering into force.
• Introducing transparent criteria for the designation of so-called "mixing zones," or zones in which the standards can be exceeded under certain conditions.
• Reinforcing the objective of ceasing or phasing out emissions of 13 "priority hazardous substances" within 20 years. In particular, the EC will prepare a report on progress towards achieving this objective in 2018. An inventory of emissions, discharges and losses will help the EC in its assessment of progress.

The legislative framework under the Water Framework Directive that will be completed with this directive will provide a sound, predictable and long-term basis for decisions, at both the local and European levels.

This is particularly important for the development of river basin management plans and programs of measures, which EU member states are due to complete by December 2009.

"This directive has a particular importance as it completes the legislative framework for the protection of Europe's water resources. I am grateful to the Parliament for the ambitious approach it has taken throughout the negotiations and I welcome that Parliament and Council have reached agreement at second reading," said Stavros Dimas, EC environment commissioner.

Source: European Commission.